Summary:
Zip code 78751 in Austin, Texas, contains three schools serving a wide range of grades, from elementary through high school, but the educational landscape is defined by stark contrasts between a high-performing traditional school and two specialized, high-need institutions.
The standout school in the area is Ridgetop Elementary, a large school with 396 students that consistently ranks in the top 10-15% of Texas elementary schools, earning a 96th percentile ranking for 2025-2026. Its students significantly outperform both the Austin Independent School District (Isd) and state averages in every subject, with 87.76% of 3rd graders proficient in reading compared to 51.08% statewide. In contrast, Austin St Hospital and Helping Hand are very small, specialized schools serving students with profound medical, behavioral, or socio-economic challenges. Austin St Hospital, a hospital-based school for grades 7-12, has a high dropout rate of 19.5% and extremely low test scores, while Helping Hand, part of the University Of Texas University Charter School system, has no test score data available and has ranked in the bottom 1% of Texas schools for years.
Key metrics highlight the disparity: Ridgetop has a student-teacher ratio of 14.6:1 and spends $10,668 per student, while Austin St Hospital spends $50,926 per student with a 2.8:1 ratio, reflecting the intensive support required. For families moving to 78751, Ridgetop Elementary is the clear public school choice, as the other two schools are not typical neighborhood options. A notable takeaway is that even at Ridgetop, math scores are a relative weakness compared to reading, suggesting a potential area for improvement at an otherwise top-tier school.
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